While it is a lengthy read, Marymount College’s final impact report successfully closes the book on the many out-of-touch opponents’ over-blown speculation regarding the college’s improvement plan. Without rehashing the findings word for word, the report most importantly shows that the project’s traffic and noise can be fully mitigated. Rancho Palos Verdes can maintain its aesthetic standards with landscaping to cover the in-progress improvements, and our view corridors are safe from obstruction.

With so much of the community’s input involved in the several-year process, it was never a doubt in my household that the improvement plan would offer minimal negative effects to our daily livelihood, yet we have an added bonus of outstanding new benefits post-completion. I hope the rest of the community has taken appropriate note of the many treasures available to RPV once these plans are fully realized. A state-of-the-art library and new recreation facility will be steps away and for community use. They are even adding dorms and additional parking to help keep the campus’ activities and students contained and on site (and thus out of the neighborhood). The way that Marymount has crafted its plan to incorporate public opinion while maintaining its open-door policy is to be lauded. I find RPV reaping many benefits, and I wish the college’s adamant opponents would see that.

– ALBERTO DUENAS

Rancho Palos Verdes

DD already hurting RB

It’s unbelievable how supporters of destructive Measure DD ignore facts about its real damage. The former master lessee of the Redondo Beach Marina, Mar Ventures, wanted to make major improvements. It sought to eliminate the first impression seen by all in the harbor, parking lots, by creating underground parking at a cost up to $50,000 per space. Mar Ventures proposed a new boutique hotel, new retail space, new offices, new restaurants and a large public open space where people could meet to enjoy Redondo’s natural beauty. All of these amenities would have reinvigorated the city’s pre-eminent area serving visitors.

Mar Ventures was willing to invest more than $75 million to improve Redondo Beach. It asked the DD group to exempt its project. The answer, of course, was no.

Granted, Mar Ventures’ plans were far from firm. They needed to continue along the process of negotiation with the city to solidify an acceptable direction. Still to be created were specific development and construction plans. Entitlements needed to be obtained through an extensive public process including hearings before the Planning Commission, City Council and Coastal Commission. Though the company had already spent over six figures, it was estimated to cost another $1 million before it could even consider breaking ground.

The proposition of then having to be subjected to the fickle voting public made it too risky for Mar Ventures to spend the seed money. So what did it do? It sold its leasehold. Proponents tout this change of ownership as evidence of new investment in our city. In fact, the buyer only paid for the right to charge rent. The true investment in Redondo Beach has been abandoned thanks to DD.

The facts are that Measure DD has already hurt us, and we can’t afford for the damage to continue. For the welfare of our kids, DD must go down to definitive defeat. Vote “No”!

– DON SZERLIP

Redondo Beach

Cuts will hurt universities

These past few days the California State University system and the public learned that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Department of Finance has informed the CSU that state agencies and departments receiving general funds need to cut an additional $390 million from the 2008-09 budget. This amounts to $31.3 million of the CSU’s funding allocation. This suggested new cut is in addition to an already $215 million shortfall in this year’s budget that is causing problems for CSU campuses.

Given the major economic crisis hitting the nation and California, and the need for a skilled work force in our state for it to be competitive on the world stage, these suggestions for further CSU budget cuts could not come at a worse time. If these cuts occur, the CSU will be forced to increase student fees, which has a detrimental impact on underprivileged students. A number of student services would have to be reduced and class sizes could be increased.

It is critical that the governor and our state legislators from both parties recognize that higher education is a solution, not a problem, in the current financial crisis. These cuts would directly affect California’s economy and people and would jeopardize our state’s security.

To stem future financial crises in our state, lawmakers must come to terms with funding the CSU appropriately, not just this year but every year. Only with a strong educational infrastructure will California improve the quality of life of its citizens and keep its place as an economic powerhouse internationally.

– JOHN CARVALHO, PH.D.

Assistant Professor of Biology

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Carson

A call for mutual respect

What goes through people’s minds when they seem more concerned with denying the rights of others to love, worship and make decisions that affect their own bodies? How dare they use words like un-American and un-Christian.

Who are these people who honestly believe they are preserving the sanctity of life and family, while ignoring the life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of others? When Sarah Palin says God will do the right thing on Election Day, while misinforming a second-grader on the responsibilities of the vice president, I cannot help but believe that those who yell “terrorist,” “communist” and “kill him” at her rallies are still living in the shadows of fear and prejudice – the same past that brought us the Salem witch trials and the red scare of the 1950s.

I remember an older lady who entered my legal counsel’s office and became offended by two young Muslim women from El Camino College working as legal interns helping to represent the rights of children in Family Court. In her remarks to one attorney, she states, “I am a conservative Republican who has a son-in-law in the Marines, and still remembers 9-11. I am deeply offended by these two habib women in your office.” Colin Powell so eloquently told us about the Muslim mother crying at the grave at Arlington National Cemetery for her U.S. Army son who gave his life for his country. For me to say that all Republicans are racist is wrong. As a Christian, I do not believe that God dictates elections or that Jesus would turn his back on anyone, including gays, lesbians and people with AIDS.

In Dwight Eisenhower’s farewell address in 1961, his words truly have meaning: “Down the long lane of the history yet to be written, America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.”